Texas Gov. Perry Denies Gay Rumors

Advocate.com -- Texas governor Rick Perry is denying widespread rumors that he and his wife plan to divorce and that he will resign from office over his alleged infidelity with a man, according to a published report Friday.

The governor's press staff has said it has fielded calls about the rumors for about two months. At the governor's mansion on Thursday, Perry's 54th birthday, he said he had decided to speak out on what he sees as a dangerous new political trend. "I don't think a rumor can just get to critical mass by itself," Perry said. "I think you have to have a well thought-out, organized effort to disseminate that kind of information and keep it going day after day after day after day." The governor's wife, Anita Perry, declined to comment after her husband's interview.

The governor declined to blame a specific source for initiating the rumors but had harsh criticism for Texas Democratic Party chairman Charles Soechting, who referred to them at a February 24 political rally in Houston. Soechting was one of several speakers before the arrival of then-presidential candidate John Edwards. Soechting referred to an event earlier that day in which a dozen people carrying signs such as "It's OK to be gay, guv" stood outside the governor's mansion and encouraged Perry to address rumors about his sexuality. "Ladies and gentlemen," Soechting said. "I ask you to stay tuned. There's a lot of things happening in Texas. For those of you that know, there's a lot of stuff happening at the state capitol. And you're going to be excited when you learn more and more about it. So I wish I could tell you more, but I think if you've got someone sitting next to you [who] knows what's going on, just get them to whisper it to you. How many of you all know? Raise your hands up. That's right. They had a rally up there in support of the governor today. Some of his friends said, 'Come out, Rick, and we'll support you.' Anyway, it's a good time for us."

Perry criticized Soechting for talking publicly about "uncorroborated filth.... Yes, I think he crosses the line of everything decent. I think he crosses the line of good behavior." Soechting, told of Perry's accusation, said, "What crosses the line of everything decent is the utter hypocrisy of Rick Perry injecting his mean-spirited politics into everyone else's personal life while insisting his own personal life is off limits. What is truly indecent is the state of children's health care, public schools, and insurance rates under Perry's regime." Soechting's statement was issued by the Texas Democratic Party.

Ft.Worth Star-Telegram

On Friday, with his approval rating hitting an all-time low, Perry finally broke his silence about the rumors and went on the offensive. He issued an unspecific, blanket denial in a newspaper interview and blamed the head of the Texas Democratic Party for helping to spread the lies.

Houston Chronicle - Only the AP story

Austin American-Statesman: Governor Speaks Out

Throughout, the governor's staff has branded the rumors as false. Perry himself denied them on camera when asked about them Feb. 17 by a San Antonio television station, which didn't air the question or Perry's response.

Perry declined to point fingers at a particular political foe ? and he has some in both parties ? but had harsh criticism for Texas Democratic Party Chairman Charles Soechting, who referred to the rumors at a recent political rally.

Until Thursday, Perry's only public response to the rumors came Feb. 17 after a political event at Bexar County GOP headquarters. After Perry fielded a few questions at a lectern, a reporter for KSAT-TV approached Perry, camera rolling, and asked about the presidential election.

The reporter followed up: "I also understand that there are rumors about your wife and whether there is talk of separation, talk of divorce. Do you have any comment on that?"

Perry responded: "What rumors are you making reference to?"

The reporter said, "I'm making reference to rumors that have been coming out about your wife leaving you, and I wanted to know whether you had a statement on that."

Perry: "Totally and absolutely false."

Reporter: "And do you have any plans to leave the political phase for the private sector?"

Perry: "Totally and absolutely false."

Perry then left the room as Walt, his press secretary, ripped into the reporter for asking "totally irresponsible" questions about a rumor.

The TV station did not air the Perry responses, and newspapers that had reporters on hand, including the American-Statesman, opted not to publish Perry's responses to unsubstantiated rumors.

The American-Statesman, like other major news organizations, had looked into the rumors, found no evidence to substantiate them and, until Perry requested to be interviewed about them, had published no mention of them.

el - it follows with an intelligent acount of the internet reports of the rumours but doesn't mention my site.

First lady issues statement

In a short, written statement, Perry said, "It's very sad that some people believe that spreading false, vicious and hurtful rumors is acceptable behavior. Rick and I are both outraged that people would drag our family into such ugly, politically motivated nonsense."

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